Page 28 of Challenge
My next question makes me wince. “Rounds at seven?”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “Yes. We’ll set your alarm for six just to be safe.”
The forbidden fruit is so tempting. Additionally, the deeply seeded desire I have in my body to make this a Tequila Sunrise moment and stop living my life as an inexperienced little girl is strong. Plus, the thought of lying next to Camden’s large body in that comfy bed is incredibly alluring. Why can’t I take a risk? Why don’t I live in the moment? That’s what Tequila Sunrise is all about.
With a firm nod of my head, my mind is made up.
God,why does being bad feel so bloody good?
Camden smiles triumphantly when I begin slowly sliding into his bed. I get myself situated, mirroring his position so we’re both on our sides facing each other with our heads propped.
Glancing at the book on the bed between us, I ask, “What book are you on? There are like twenty in that series, aren’t there?” I’m trying to come off casual when I feel anything but.
He gets the drift and picks it up. “This is Patterson’s newest release. I’m a sucker for mysteries. And puns. Alex Cross is the master of puns.”
Camden Harris likes puns? Who’d have thought? I begin fidgeting with the blanket and say, “Well, all I can say is ‘when I get naked in the bathroom, the shower usually gets turned on.’”
I look up once I’ve got the blanket just how I like it and find him staring at me with his mouth hanging wide open.
He shifts his jaw to one side and narrows his eyes before saying, “‘This book has some scenes about anti-gravity and it’s impossible to put down.’”
I give him a mock impressed look and reply with my super casual voice, “‘Yesterday a clown held the door open for me and I thought it was a very nice jester.’”
I nod my head animatedly at the end and we both burst out laughing. He quickly presses his finger over my lips to remind me about Beardie.
His touch makes me feel warm and tingly inside. When I stop giggling, I flop down onto the pillow and say, “My grandmother liked puns. It was about the only interesting thing I knew about her before she died a couple years ago.”
“You weren’t close?” He turns and sets his book down on the nightstand behind him and flicks the light off at the same time.
The dim exterior city lights cast a blue glow over his face as he gingerly rolls back to face me. The darkness is comforting. Makes me feel less exposed.
“She raised me, but I was always sent to boarding schools, so I only saw her a couple times a year if I was lucky.”
“What about your parents?” he asks, a sombre expression on his face as if he’s expecting me to tell him they’re dead.
“They travel for work,” I shrug my shoulders. “I hardly ever see them.”
His brows lift. “I see my dad almost every day, even though I don’t live with him. But he feels more like a coach than a dad.” He reaches out and pulls my glasses off my face and sets them down behind him by his book.
“Thanks,” I say. He smiles but he doesn’t respond. It’s all very…sweet. “How’s your knee?” I ask, feeling a bit too intimate and needing to bring this back to my comfort zone.
“It’s all right. The brace makes it feel pretty stable.”
Nodding, I reply, “That’s why some people never get their ACLs fixed. I was telling your dad that earlier.”
Camden’s good mood evaporates. “What did he say to that?”
“He wasn’t pleased. I didn’t mean anything by it. I know you’re an athlete so it’s not an option for you. But it just seemed as if…” My voice trails off.
“As if what?” Camden urges.
I shrug. “I don’t know. As if his top concern was skewed a bit.”
Camden sighs heavily and rolls onto his back, ruffling one of his hands through his hair. There’s a sudden tension in his body that’s potent in this giant hospital bed we’re sharing.
Before I can stop myself, I continue, “And he won’t be here for your surgery tomorrow? Is that right? After being here all day today and most of yesterday?”
“He doesn’t do well in hospitals,” Camden says quietly. “Never has.”
